Garage-door-operating device



1 19 Jan 27 D. E. GREEN GARAGE DOOR OPERATING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet '1 Filed August 17, 1926 1927 D. E. GREEN GARAGE DOOR OPERATING DEVICE Filed August 17, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 7 :l Inventor flan/m3 Ea 70v f Attorney Patented Jan. 18, 1927.

UNITED STATES DENNIS EDGAR GREEN, AIABILLO, TEXAS.

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Application fledAugut 11, me. win in. 12am.

This invention relates .to an improved structure which may be referred to as a device for automatically closing and opening garage doors and similar closures.

Briefly, the invention'has reference to a structure of this class which includes gear segments carried by the hinged ends of the doors, rack bars cooperable with these segments, and spring means associated with the l rack bars for moving them simultaneously in a manner to swing the doors to closed and open positions, suitable retaining means being provided, and said retaining means being releasable from a distant point by the wheels of the vehicle after leaving and before entering the garage.

The particular features and advantages derived from their special association and arrangement will become a parent from the following description and rawings.

v In the accompan ing drawings Figure 1 is a si e view of a garage provided with a structure constructed in accordance with the present invention,

Figure 2 is a detailed plan view of the structure showing the association with the doors and showing the parts in the position assumed when the, doors are open,

Figure.3 is a similar view showing the parts in another position when the door is closed,

Figure 4 is a similar view showing the parts in still another position when the door is closed,

Figure 5 is a similar view showing the doors open,

. Figure 6 is a similar view showing the doors closed with the parts in still another position,

Fi re 7 is anenlarged fragmentary view showing the parts in side elevation,

Figure-8 is a detailed view of a vehicle operated trip device.

Figure 9 is a detailed view of a keeperto hold the door either in an open or a closed position.

Thedevice comprises a substantially c rcular casing 1, which is fastened to the cells ing of the garage 2'as indicated in Figure 7 andin dotted lines in Figure 1. This eas ing constitutes a housing for a coiled spring 3. The bottom'wall o the casing is provided with a circular slot 4.

Cooperable with this casing are arms 6 and 7 provided with rack teeth 8. The inner :ends of the arms are rovided with coupling pins, the arms ing connected at their inner ends as at 9 with the portions of the spring represented.

The outer toothed end portions 8 of the arms 6 and 7 are in mesh with teeth of gear segments 10 secured to the bin ed ends of the doors 11. Associated with t e gear segments and bin e connections are guiding and supporting rackets 12 carrying springs 13 for maintaining the teeth 8 in mesh with the teeth 10.

To maintain the doors in closed position I employ a keeper 14. This keeper comprises a ta red block havin a seat-15 at its center or recept'on of t e lower edge portion of one of the oors as shown in Figure 2. It is arranged in a recess 16 for sliding movement and is actuated by spring 17. A flexible element 18 is connected to the 7:; center thereof and extends through auide tube 19 which is arran ed in the ground just below the surface an extends to a distant int where an operating device is located.

his operating device comprises a casing 20 embedded in the ground and including a guide receptacle 21 for a wheel operated member 22. This member is actuated upwardly by a spring and it includes a stem 23 extending down into the casing and connected with the adjacent end portion of the cable 18. The depressible member 22 may be of any appropriate portion to aid in permitting the vehicle wheel to pass thereover.

Referrin to the operation of the device in view 0 the above detailed description and assuming the parts .to be positioned as shown in Fig. 2 at which time the automobile has been placed in the garage. The person manually closes the doors 11 so that the parts assume the position shown in F1g. 3 thereby tensioning the springs to a certain extent. A cable, chain, or the like 30 is ulled to dispose the parts as shown in Fig. 4, that is, to pass the pivots 9 by the center as shown'in Fig. 3 to the position shown in Fig. 4, thereby further tensioning the spring. In the movement from the position shown in Fig. 3 to Fig. 4 the doors will slightly swing inwardly. Therefore the 106 member 14 must be released from engagement with the, doors. When it is desired to take the machine from the garage, the doors are opened manuall to the posit onshown in Fig. 5 thereby sti 1 further tensioning the 110 Ill spring. Obviously, therefore, when the member 14 which holds the door open is released, the spring will close the doors to the osition shown in Fig. 6 and when the mem en 14 that holds the doors closed is released, the spring will open the doors. Thus in leaving the garage it is only necessary'to run the automobile over the trip 22 end when coming in the gerege'it is only necessary to run over the trip 22 for closing the door in the first instance-and opening the door in the second instance.

it is believed that in considerin the description in connection with the rawings, a clear understanding of the invention will be had. Therefore, a more lengthy description is thought unnecessary. The present embodiment of the invention has been disclosed in detail merely by way of example since in actuelprectice it attains the features of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statement of the invention and the forego; ing description. It is apparent thatchengesin the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to Without deperting from the field of invention hereinafter claimed.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new is 1. In a structure of the class described in combination, a casing adapted to be secured to a relatively stationary part, said casing being provided in its bottom with a circular slot, :1 spring arranged in said casing in coiled formation, a pair of arms having pivotal connections at their inner ends with said spring through the slot, a pair of swinging members, geerings between the swinging members and arms.

2. In a structure of the class described, in combination, a casing adapted tov be secured to a relatively stationary pert, said casing being provided in its bottom with e circuar slot, :1 spring arranged in said casing in coiled formation, a peirof arms having pivotal connections at their inner ends with said spring through the slot, a pair of swing-- 'ing members, geerings between the swinging members and arms, and a member engaged 'with one of the arms for assisting in the tensioning of the spring.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

DENNIS EDGAR GREEN. 

